The Seoul Drama Awards 2025 celebrated global stars and K-dramas, with IU and Ju Ji-hoon among the winners, highlighting the event's success.

The 20th "Seoul Drama Awards 2025" ceremony has successfully concluded. The organizing committee chairman, Bang Moon-shin, stated during the opening remarks at the ceremony held yesterday (2nd) at KBS Hall, "The 'Seoul Drama Awards' is the world's first award ceremony dedicated solely to the drama genre, starting in 2006. This year, 276 works from 50 countries (regions) participated, growing into a global platform for drama exchange," and added, "I think it is more meaningful with Korean K-dramas at its center." The ceremony featured nine global stars who received the prestigious trophies, including IU, Ju Ji-hoon, Kim Min-ha, and Kenta Sakaguchi, as well as Na Ji-hyun and director Umut Aral, who won the international competition directing award. Ju Ji-hoon and IU, the leads of the two dramas that dominated the first half of the year, "Trauma Code" and "Thank You for Your Hard Work," shone on stage with their emotional acceptance speeches. Ju Ji-hoon, who won the male acting award in the K-drama category for "Trauma Code," expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the medical team at the trauma center who continue to help people, saying, "I tried to infuse action, wit, and sincerity into the drama. I want to thank director Lee Do-yoon for leading the project to the end under tough conditions." IU, who won the female acting award, shared a warm hug with actress Yeom Hae-ran before expressing her thoughts. She said, "I am grateful to screenwriter Im Sang-chun, director Kim Won-seok, and all the staff. It was an honor to shoot with wonderful seniors and colleagues like Kim Yong-rim, Na Mun-hee, and Yeom Hae-ran. The time spent with 'Thank You for Your Hard Work' will remain a great pride and glory for me." Kenta Sakaguchi, who received the Asian Star Award for "What Comes After Love," expressed his gratitude for receiving such a wonderful honor. He stated, "The job of an actor is surprisingly a continuous process of working quietly, more than it appears. That’s why I continue to create works with my heart in each one." He continued, "I would like to thank the directors, fellow actors, and all the staff who worked on this project, as well as all the fans who provide warm support. Thank you very much," bowing his head. When MC Taecyeon from 2PM asked, "You received the Asian Star Award today, did you have a good dream last night?" he replied, "I was worried about how everyone would perceive it, but I was very happy when I walked the red carpet earlier and received warm words from everyone." The highest honor of the 'Seoul Drama Awards,' the Golden Bird Award, was awarded to director Ben Stiller. Due to filming schedules, director Ben Stiller conveyed his thoughts through a video message, saying, "It is truly an honor to receive attention in Korea, where works that have inspired me for a long time were born," and expressed respect for the creators who make human yet aesthetically intricate beautiful stories. The Asian Star Award, chosen by global Hallyu fans' votes, was awarded to Kenta Sakaguchi (Japan), Rachana Mahawan (Thailand), Daniel Padilla (Philippines), and Anna Jobling (Malaysia), who took the stage to express their gratitude. Particularly, Kenta Sakaguchi enlivened the scene during an interview with comedian Jang Do-yeon, showcasing the unique chemistry he displayed in the Netflix travel variety show "Chandobari Bari." The 20th 'Seoul Drama Awards' was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Seoul Metropolitan City, KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS, and CBS, with MCs Jang Do-yeon and 2PM's Taecyeon hosting the event. Korean singer Jang Sa-ik, who performed a celebratory stage, delivered deep emotions that resonated with the audience. Other performances by ILLIT, Urban Zakapa, and award winners Yontak heated up the award ceremony. The red carpet event featuring awardees and presenters before the ceremony also attracted significant attention. The Drama Awards 2025 'Drama Festa' will be held on October 3rd (Friday) to 4th (Saturday) at Banpo Hangang Park and Seokchon Lake, featuring singers and actors from OSTs of beloved dramas, all programs being free for drama lovers to enjoy.